More vibrant than ever, the city by the bay is experiencing a surge of energy from a new generation of entrepreneurs, innovative young chefs, and design mavericks.

ELLE DECOR Returns to San Francisco

ELLE DECOR Returns to San Francisco

The sheer physical beauty of San Francisco remains constant, from the grandeur of the Golden Gate Bridge and the bay to the steep hills veiled by the region's cool, distinctive fogs. But these days, the spirit of the city is in an exciting state of flux. Briefly chastened by the dot-com boom and bust of the last decade, San Francisco has regained its self-confidence, thanks to a newly recharged tech industry and the younger, hipper members of its workforce who are changing the city's borders, tastes, and self-definition.

For this new generation of San Franciscans, Harvey Milk is a character almost as distant as Martin Luther King, and gay civil rights are a matter of course. Gone is any lingering sense of inferiority to Los Angeles (though the two cities will always enjoy a fierce sibling rivalry). Silicon Valley now squarely competes with Hollywood for creative energy and cultural relevance—after all, the city that saw the founding of Twitter and Instagram can rightfully take its place on the global stage. Building cranes punctuate the skyline, as a surge in high-rise housing attracts thousands of new residents. World-class restaurants are legion. "Whether in architecture, art, food, or fashion," says interior designer Jay Jeffers, "San Francisco feels like a city awakening from a long slumber."

It may not be surprising that so much creative change is happening away from the city center. The traditionally Latino Mission District, with its colorful buildings and markets, is still a great place for a burrito. But it's becoming equally well known for such punchy restaurants as Mission Chinese Food, where chef Danny Bowien serves his amped-up take on classic Chinese dishes behind a nondescript facade (the awning still bears the name of the former occupant, a takeout joint). Boutiques like Mira Mira, which specializes in pixie-chic fashions by international designers, and inventive bakery-cafes like Craftsman & Wolves, with its minimalist, industrial decor and anti-cupcake aesthetic, can make this neighborhood feel a little bit like Brooklyn's Williamsburg these days.